“James, you shall shock Lady Helena with talk such as that!” Lady Henderson replied, laughing again. “Come, let us leave them before we expose ourselves any more than we already have.”
The ladies stepped forward and gave Matteo their hands for him to kiss. He glanced quickly at Helena before he did.
“Do decide on the date, my dear Lady Helena,” Lady McLean said. “Before this gentleman here becomes too restless.” Then, with a curtsy and a wink at Matteo, she steered Lady Henderson away.
“We shall look for you tomorrow, Valen.” Lord Crowther said with a bow.
They had walked a few steps away when Lord Ruddock called out to them in a loud voice.
“You are not yet tied down, Valen; there is still time to play!”
Matteo looked away and cleared his throat. Then he looked sideways at Helena, seeming to check her reaction.
“Those are your friends?”
“Ah, I would not really sayfriends, more of close acquaintances.”
“Hmm,” Helena said, keeping her face expressionless. “The ladies said that you aredearfriends.”
“Again, more of close acquaintances.”
“The widow?—”
“They are both widows.”
“Ah.” Helena thought that somehow explained their confident and unguarded ways. “Lady McLean, she seems to know some of your disposition. Perhaps you are closer to her than you think.”
Matteo pressed his lips together, preventing a laugh.
“Not at all, I assure you.”
“If you wish to meet with them tomorrow, I am sure Chastity and I can manage at Lady Chapman’s dinner by ourselves. It is only a small party anyway.”
He took Helena’s hand and spoke quietly.
“Helena.”
She looked at him, keeping her face neutral.
“I admit that I did run with that set.” He waited for her to look at him. When she did, he continued. “But I decided for some time now that it was not what I prefer. I have not kept company with them since last winter.”
Helena watched Matteo’s face. She recalled Lord Crowther saying that they had not seen Matteo in a while. She had thought that was due to his agreeing to leave his rakish ways while they were engaged, but knowing that he had decided to part ways with the group even before that somehow mattered to her.
She sighed.
“I do not like them; I am sorry to say it.”
Matteo chuckled.
“I have learned that neither do I.”
“They invited you, in front of me, your betrothed, to go carousing!”
Laughing, Matteo put a finger to her lips to hush her. Helena colored at the realization that she had spoken quite loudly—and at the feel of Matteo’s finger on her lips. She took a step back and looked around. Luckily, no one seemed to have heard her sudden outburst.
Matteo continued with a smile.
“But I have no plan of going, do I? I have a very important place I must be. Lady Chapman will be very cross with me if I do not make an appearance tomorrow night.”
